NYT: Karl Rove's 'word is no longer GOP gospel'

RAW STORY
Published: Saturday September 2, 2006

Political adviser Karl Rove's "word is no longer GOP gospel," according to a front page story in Sunday's edition of The New York Times.

"Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser, is struggling to steer the Republican Party to victory this fall at a time when he appears to have the least political authority since he came to Washington, party officials said," report Adam Nagourney and Jim Rutenberg for the Times.

"Mr. Rove remains a dominant adviser to President Bush, administration officials say," the article continues. "But outside the White House, as President Bush's popularity has waned, and as questions have arisen among Republicans about the White House's political acumen, the party's candidates are going their own way in this difficult election season far more than they have in any other campaign Mr. Rove has overseen."

The Times reports that some Republicans "are disregarding Mr. Rove's advice, despite his reputation as the nation's premier strategist," "criticizing Mr. Bush or his policies," and/or "are avoiding public events with the president and Mr. Rove."

Excerpts from Times article:

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Influential conservative commentators have openly broken with the White House, calling into question the continued enthusiasm of evangelicals, economic conservatives and other groups that Mr. Rove has counted on to win elections. . Some Republicans are ignoring Mr. Rove's efforts to hold the party together on issues like immigration and Iraq.

In a reflection of this difficult environment, the White House has decided to concentrate nearly all of its resources on the critical fight to keep control of Congress, party officials said, largely stepping away from the governors' races, at least for now.

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Mr. Rove's associates said that throughout the leak investigation, he was coiled and withdrawn. They said his demeanor brightened the moment he learned he would not be indicted. Associates described him as displaying relentless optimism about an election that is filling Republicans with a sense of doom.

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FULL TIMES ARTICLE CAN BE READ AT THIS LINK